Drive shaft assembly for agitators and the like



M rch 12, 1 J. J. LENNON 3,080,730

DRIVE SHAFT ASSEMBLY FOR AGITATORS AND THE LIKE F iled May 16, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lzweeaiofl: Joiztv L. Lennon,

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3,080,730 DRIVE SHAFT ASSEMBLY FOR AGITATORS AND THE LIKE Filed May 16, 1961 March 12, 1963 J. J. LENNON 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JbmL.Le222aoa2/, baa gang "(M-1 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Man}! 1963 J. J..LENNON DRIVE SHAFT ASSEMBLY FOR AGITATORS AND THE LIKE! Filed May 16, 1961 Joi z2a/L.Le822aon, ya w 919 4, F-

United States Patent A 3,080,730 I Patented Mar. 12, 1968 3,080,730 DRIVE SHAFT ASSEMBLY FOR AGITATORS AND THE LIKE John J. Lennon, Winchester, Mass, assignor to Nettco Corporation, Everett, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed May 16, 1961, Ser. No. 110,404 6 Claims. (Cl. 64-1) This invention is of utility in the field of apparatus such as those commonly termed agitators wherein a mechanical device within a fluid container is driven by shafting from -a power source exterior to the container. It is customary and desirable to provide at the point where the shafting enters the container a seal of the radial type, that is, one utilizing complete rings encircling the shaft which must be assembled with or removed from the shaft by slipping them over the same axially. This seal mus-t be removed from time to time for overhaul or replacement.

The cardinal object of the invention, is to provide means whereby this removal may be readily effected by simple manipulations done at the exterior of the container and without causing loss of fluid. Thus if the contents are liquid or semi-liquid and the shaft enters the con- I tainer ata level below the normal of permissible level of the liquid, either some would have to be Withdrawn to lower the level, or some would be lost if the seal were simply broken. Or the container might contain vapors or gases which should not be permitted to escape.

The invention will be well understood from the following description of the illustrative embodiment shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing agitating mechanism and driving means therefor mounted on a container wall, a fragment of which wall is shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section showing the main parts of the driving 'shafting and associated parts in their normal operating position;

FIG. 3 is a similar view showing a first stage of adjustment prior to removal of the seal;

FIG. 4 shows part of FIG. 3 at a late-r stage;

FIG. Sis a view comparable to FIG. 3 showing the removal of the seal; and

FIG. 6 is a section on line 66 of FIG. 2 with parts 0 broken away.

I The words inner and outer and their variants are herein used, except where the context otherwise indicates, relatively to'designate respectively nearer andfarther' from the center line of thecontainer.

FIG. 1 shows a portion 10 ofa sidewall of a container which may be locallyreinforced or thickened, as best seen at the right of FIG. 2, to provide a pad for mounting the end plate 11 of shaft-supporting frame 12 and the shelf 14 for driving motor 16 in horizontal overhanging position. Exterior supports 18 may be provided. Herein a rotary agitator 20 is shown on the right hand end of the shaft within the container. Functionally, when the frame is mounted, the end plate 11 and the inwardly offset central portion 19 thereof are parts of the container wall and are so referred to hereinafter to avoid unnecessary and confusing detail.

1 Referring now to FIG. 2, the shaft of the agitator 20 shown comprises an inner section 22, on which the agitator is mounted, and an outer section 24 in spaced end to end alignment therewith, the two sections being connected by a longitudinally divided separable coupling 26 spanning the spaced ends of the sections, the parts of which coupling may be laterally removed to expose the shaft ends. The outer shaft section 24 is slidably keyed the bolts do not bind that member,

. 2 to a quill 28 journalled in the frame and adapted to be driven through gearing of conventional form from motor 16. It is not necessary to illustrate the intermediate driving connection.

The outer end of quill 28 receives a thrust plate 30 in which is journalled a jackscrew 32 tapping into the outer end of shaft section 24. By turning this screw the shafts may be moved from the normal operating position of FIG. 2 inwardly (to the right) and returned to normal position for a purpose which will appear.

The shaft section 22 enters'the container through an opening or port 34 in the container wall (structurally,

in the example shown, in the part 19 carried by and inwardly offset from the main portion of end plate 11) the opening being encircled byan outwardly presented annular surface which may function as a valve seat. and carries a gasket as shown. In the normal running position of FIG. 2 the port stands open, a cooperating valve head .38 which is secured to the shaft being positioned outwardly thereof. This head herein serves as an abutment for spring 40 which supports the radial seal proper 42. This, on account of the necessarily small scale of the drawing, is only sketchily illustrated as its exact structure is not important and radial seals ofvarious known "forms may be used. At the outer side it engages a plate 44 resting as a bottom in a housing 46, having at the inner end a radial flange 48 secured bybolts 50 tothe underlying radial flange of an intermediate member 52 which also has an' inwardly extending .portion 54 which makes a circumferential packed joint with the container wall outward of seat36. The inner end of this cylindrical portion normally is spaced from head 38 as member. It is not a packing ring. 'The adjacent ends of two segments are shown in the five oclock position in FIG. 6. Bolts 58, located in alternation with bolts 50 (see FIG. 6) extend through the radial flange of member 52 and the spacing ring and secure them to the con- I tainer wall. Three bolts of each kind are illustrated to -permit both to appear in the vertical sections, FIGS.. 2,

3 and 4. The heads of bolts 58 are received in relatively large openings in the radial flange 48 of housing 46 so that but are accessible fromthe exterior and outer side of the same.

The parts being in the operating position of FIG. 2,

let us suppose we wish to remove the seal. The jackscrew 32. is turned to move the joined shafts to the righttand close down valve head 3-8 on sea-t36, The 'parts are then in the position of FIG. 3. We can nowback out or even 1 entirely remove the bolts 58 freeing divided spacing ring 56 r which is removed radially. These bolts are again setup and the cylindrical portion 54 is brought against v'alve head 38 maintaining its seating independently-0f jackscrew 32. This is the position of FIG. .4.

Coupling 26 may now be taken apart and removed, exposing the space between the shaft sections as seen in FIG. 5. Bolts 50 are removed,freeing housing 46 which may he slid over to the left past that space as seen in FIG. 5. The seal proper or seal inside 42 may then be slid off shaft section 22 and removed laterally. In FIG. 5 it is shown in alignment with the shaft sections but between the radial planes of their confronting ends which planes define the space.

The method of reassembly is obvious. The coupling 26 is replaced and the valve head 38 secured in closed position by the pressure of jackscrew 32 before bolts 58 are withdrawn and the spacer ring 56 replaced. With the parts reassembled as in FIG. 3, slacking off the jackscrew 32 brings them back to the operating position of FIG. 2.

Itwill' be apparent that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and the present embodiment should therefore be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, as is in fact clear in several matters from thedescription itself. Reference is to be had to the appended claims to indicate those principles of the invention exemplified by the particular embodiment described and which it is desired to secure by Letters Patent.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus wherein a fluid container has internally thereof a driven part mounted on a shaft extending through a wall of the container cooperating with externally positioned driving means, and wherein a seal of the radial type closes during operation the space between the shaft and the container wall, a construction which provides for ready removal and replacing of the seal without undesired escape of fluid from the container, and wherein the shaft comprises an inner section extending through the container wall and an. outer shaft section in spaced end to end alignment with the inner section, the two sections being'connected by a separable coupling which can be released therefrom and the parts thereof moved away from the inner section. and from the space between the sections, the inner shaft section carrying a radial seal which has a housing secured to the container wall, the

container wall having also an annular valve seat encircling the shaft and the inner shaftsection having a coopcrating valve head normally spaced therefrom, means for shifting the shaft sections longitudinally to close the head on the seat, and an. auxiliary valve head moving member organized inwardly of the seal housing and normally spaced from the head and arranged to be freed from the housing and. independently moved against the valve head to maintain the valve closed, after which the coupling between the shaft sections may be removed and the seal housingand annular parts which are outward of the head may be released and drawn outward into or over the space between the shafts.

2. In an apparatus wherein a fluid container has internally thereof a driven part mounted on a shaft extending through a wall of the container cooperating with externally positioned driving means, and wherein a seal of the radial type closes during operation the space between the shaft and. the container wall, a construction which provides for ready removal and replacing of the seal without undesired escape of fluid from the container, and wherein the shaft comprises an inner section extending'through the container wall and an outer shaft section in spaced end to end alignment with the inner section, the two sections being connected by a separable coupling which can be released therefrom and the parts thereof moved awayfrom the inner section and from the space between the sections, the, container wall having also an annular valve seat encirclingthe shaft and the inner shaft section having .a cooperating valve head normally spaced. therefrom, means for shifting the shaft sections longitudinally to close the head on the. seat, the inner section. carrying a radial seal which has a housing with an. annular flange facing the container wall, an auxiliary member having an annular flange underlying the flange of the housing and a cylindrical flange extending toward the valve head, and packed relatively to the container wall outwardly of the valve seat, bolts through the housing flange securing it against the annular flange of the auxiliary member, radially displaceable spacing means between the annular flange of the auxiliary member and the container wall, bolts having heads loosely received in larger openings in. the annular housing flange to be accessible from the outer side thereof, the heads bearing on the other annular flange and entering the container wall to draw the auxiliary member to ward that wall both when the spacing means is present and when it is displaced.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the spacing means is a segmented ring traversed by said second mentioned bolts.

4. In an apparatus wherein a fluid container has internally thereof a driven part mounted on a shaft extending through a wall of the container cooperating with externally positioned driving means, and wherein a seal of the radial type closes during operation the space between the shaft and the container wall, a construction which. provides for ready removal and replacingof the seal Without undesired escape of fluid from the container, and wherein the shaft comprises an inner section extending through the container wall and an outer shaft section in spaced end to end alignment with the inner section, the twosections being connected by a separable coupling which can be releasedtherefrom and the parts thereof moved; away from the inner section and'from the space between the sections, the inner section carrying a radial seal received between outer and inner members having radial flanges bolted together by bolts accessible from the outside, the inner member having a cylindrical portion received in a packed joint in the container wall, the container wall being also provided with a transverse valve seat inwardly of said cylindrical portion, a valve head on the shaft normally positioned between said seat and the inner end of the cylindrical portion, means for shifting the shaftsectionsfor closing the head on the seat and means accessible from v the outer side and exterior of the outer. member but free of binding engagement therewith, for selectively shifting the inner member between the normal position spaced from the valve head and a holding position bearing on the valve head and holding it against the seat.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the shifting means includes a radially displaceable spacer for supporting the inner member in its outward position.

6. The apparatus of claim- 4 in which the valve seat is formed on a separate plate incorporated withthe container wall to which plate the shaft and seal supporting means are mounted.

References Cited in the fileof thispatent. UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,627,171 Brumagim Feb. 3, 1953 2,867,997 Lake Jan. 13; 1959 2,911,240 Boutros et al. Nov. 3, 1959 2,945,711 Dykman ..July 19, 1960 

2. IN AN APPARATUS WHEREIN A FLUID CONTAINER HAS INTERNALLY THEREOF A DRIVEN PART MOUNTED ON A SHAFT EXTENDING THROUGH A WALL OF THE CONTAINER COOPERATING WITH EXTERNALLY POSITIONED DRIVING MEANS, AND WHEREIN A SEAL OF THE RADIAL TYPE CLOSES DURING OPERATION THE SPACE BETWEEN THE SHAFT AND THE CONTAINER WALL, A CONSTRUCTION WHICH PROVIDES FOR READY REMOVAL AND REPLACING OF THE SEAL WITHOUT UNDESIRED ESCAPE OF FLUID FROM THE CONTAINER, AND WHEREIN THE SHAFT COMPRISES AN INNER SECTION EXTENDING THROUGH THE CONTAINER WALL AND AN OUTER SHAFT SECTION IN SPACED END TO END ALIGNMENT WITH THE INNER SECTION, THE TWO SECTIONS BEING CONNECTED BY A SEPARABLE COUPLING WHICH CAN BE RELEASED THEREFROM AND THE PARTS THEREOF MOVED AWAY FROM THE INNER SECTION AND FROM THE SPACE BETWEEN THE SECTIONS, THE CONTAINER WALL HAVING ALSO AN ANNULAR VALVE SEAT ENCIRCLING THE SHAFT AND THE INNER SHAFT SECTION HAVING A COOPERATING VALVE HEAD NORMALLY SPACED THEREFROM, MEANS FOR SHIFTING THE SHAFT SECTIONS LONGITUDINALLY TO CLOSE THE HEAD ON THE SEAT, THE INNER SECTION CARRYING A RADIAL SEAL WHICH HAS A HOUSING WITH AN ANNULAR FLANGE FACING THE CONTAINER WALL, AN AUXILIARY MEMBER HAVING AN ANNULAR FLANGE UNDERLYING THE FLANGE OF THE HOUSING AND A CYLINDRICAL FLANGE EXTENDING TOWARD THE VALVE HEAD, AND PACKED RELATIVELY TO THE CONTAINER WALL OUTWARDLY OF THE VALVE SEAT, BOLTS THROUGH THE HOUSING FLANGE SECURING IT AGAINST THE ANNULAR FLANGE OF THE AUXILIARY MEMBER, RADIALLY DISPLACEABLE SPACING MEANS BETWEEN THE ANNULAR FLANGE OF THE AUXILIARY MEMBER AND THE CONTAINER WALL, BOLTS HAVING HEADS LOOSELY RECEIVED IN LARGER OPENINGS IN THE ANNULAR HOUSING FLANGE TO BE ACCESSIBLE FROM THE OUTER SIDE THEREOF, THE HEADS BEARING ON THE OTHER ANNULAR FLANGE AND ENTERING THE CONTAINER WALL TO DRAW THE AUXILIARY MEMBER TOWARD THAT WALL BOTH WHEN THE SPACING MEANS IS PRESENT AND WHEN IT IS DISPLACED. 